GrowingUpinanUndergroundRailroadHome

TremontresidentJohnRowellpointstoamapofthefamilyfarmand(below)showsapictureof the house on the farm, a stop on theUndergroundRailroad.

WhenyoungJohnRowell’sfamilymovedtoan old Iowa farm, they had no idea whatwould be in store for them. At our Maymeeting John shared his feelings and

experiencesgrowingupinanUndergroundRailroadhome.Thefarmwasbuiltbyaforward-thinkingman,ChesterPrindle.Prindlestronglybelievedthatnooneshouldbeaslave.Infact,atgreatrisktoallinvolved,hisfarmbecameastopontheUndergroundRailroad.Johnandhisfamilyhadexperienceswithsomeoftheformerresidents,astheplaceseemedhaunted.With stories,maps andphotos, John spoke toaninterested group of Tremont Historical Societymembers. We also welcomed members of theMackinawAreaHistoricalSocietytoourprogram.

NewsletterNewsPleasecontactLoriFuossatlfuoss@telstar-online.netbyearlySeptemberifyouhaveitemsfortheOctobernewsletter,INADDITION,pleaseletLoriknowifyouwouldliketoreceiveyournewsletterviae-mail.Ourgoalistosaveonpostagecosts!Joinus.

September 2016

TREMONT TALES and TRAILS

TremontMuseumandHistoricalSociety

Dedicated to the preservation of the history of Tremont, Illinois

VolXXXNo.4

WienerRoastandProgram:ChristalDagitPresidentofthe

TazewellCountyMuseumSeepage3formoreinformation

Aboutourspeakerandthisprogram 6:00p.m.attheTremontCommunityCenter216SampsonSt.,Tremont

SeptemberHosts:CraigandLindaRobison

Eachfamilyshouldbringacovereddishtoshare.Thefollowingwillbeprovided:wieners,buns,condiments,plates,cupsandplasticsilverware.

Comeandjointhefun!

Tuesday,September20Meeting

WeencourageanyonewhoisinterestedinTremonthistorytoattend!

UpcomingMeetingDates–Markyourcalendarandinviteafriend!Sept.20-WeinerRoastandChristalDagit,President,TazewellCountyMuseumProgramstobedecidedfortherestoftheschedule:Nov.15,2016Jan.17,2017Mar.21,2017May16,2017

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Didyouknow…?

TheStoryofTremont’sBarefootBoyAsinglecementstairistheonlyclueabystandermighthavetothepastwhensurveyingthestatueof"TheBarefootBoy".ViolaNorman,thesculptressofthisTremonticonwasrecognizedearlyinlifeforherartistictalentsbutittookadedicatedbenefactresstohelpherrealizeherdreams.Norman'sfamilylivedonthecornerofTazewellandSampsonSt,justaroundthecornerfromNettieWashburn(daughterofEstherWashburn,thenamesakeofthevillagelibrary)andtheCityPark.Seeinghertalentsyetlackoffinancialsupport,NettiebecameViola'ssupporterwhensheturnedeighteen.WithNettie'sfinancialbacking,ViolastudiedattheArtInstituteofChicago.Shewentontobecomeaninstructorinsculpturethere,laterfoundingherownChicagoSchoolofSculpture.HerworkwonhermultipleprestigiousawardsthroughoutChicago,yetsheneverforgotherhometownandthebenefactresswhoenabledhersuccess.

Violadesignedandsculpted"TheBarefootBoy"attherequestofNettieandcarefullyselecteditspositioninthepark,directlyacrossSampsonSt.fromtheWashburnhome.UsingherownyoungerbrotherClayasthemodel,ViolapersonifiedtheboyintheWhittierpoemofthesamename:

"Barefootboy,withcheekoftan!

Withthyturned-uppantaloons,

Andthymerrywhistledtunes;"

ThestatuewasdedicatedonNovember7,1915,andservesasanhomagetothemanychildrenthathaveplayedintheCityPark,makingfriendsandmemoriesalongtheway,justasViolaandNettiedid.TheWashburnhomenolongerstandstofacethestatue,butthesinglecementstepisanotherpieceofourtown'shistory.~ContributedbyRachelBerchtold

WeWelcomeOurNewestMembers:HelenTull–SingleMembership,JamesandRachelSauder–FamilyMembership

Donations:DaveandJanLeeinmemoryofHubertaSchultz,TGSBarnBuddies–TremontAreaBarnCalendar

HistoricalSocietyNews

MuseumHoursTheTremontHistoryMuseumislocatedatthecornersofSampsonandMadison.Itisopenthe2ndSundayofthemonthfrom2-4:00.Tourscanbearrangedbyappointment.ContactFloydHazelmanat309-925-5020.Ourmuseumstorehasanumberofitemsforsale,suchasbooksonlocalhistory,barnCDs,notecards,etc.AlloftheseitemsmayalsobepurchasedattheTremontGallery.

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HistoricalSocietyNews

HistoricalSocietyWebsite:www.tremontil.com/organizations/historicalsociety

PleasecontactRichSauder(309)231-1123ifyouhavesomethingtoaddtothewebsite.

From the Past – January, 1910

Itemsforthiscolumnareobtainedfrom“TheTremontNews”Note:Thiseditionwasfoundonmicrofilm.Comingsandgoingswereofgreatinterest,asisevidencedbythe“LocalNotes”column:E.J.Cullinan,whohasbeenillinPeoriaforthepastweek,wasabletoreturntohishomehereThursday.WordhasbeenreceivedherethattheRobison-WilsonpartyarrivedatAntwerp,BelgiumlastSaturday.ThatJanuarythawhasnotbeenveryextensivesofar.ItwillprobablyextendovertoFebruaryonaccountofthecoldweather.Thepriceofhogshasdeclinedthelastfewdays,butcornhashelditsown.SohasthesupplyofcandidatesforTazewellCountyOffices.Mrs.EdithMason,ateacherinourpublicschool,wastakensuddenlyilllastFriday.Sheismuchimprovedatthiswriting,andisabletoteach.TheweddingofMr.ChrisEndressandMissJosephineZeitlertookplaceattheAmishchurchinthesoutheastpartoftownlastSunday.Theirmanyfriendsextendcongratulations.“LocalNotes”andotheritemsfromearlierdayswillbeincludedasspaceallowsineachHistoricalSocietynewsletter.

Our2016Board:President:RichardSauderVicePresident:RachelBerchtoldSecretary:BarbaraWagenbachTreasurer:FayeChildressDirectors:FloydHazelman,ElmonKoch,JanisLee*EffectiveinSeptember,LoriFuosswillcontinuewiththenewsletterandwillalsoserveasSecretary.BarbaraWagenbachwillbecomeourCurator.~WearegratefultoBarbaraforherlonganddedicatedtenureassecretaryforourorganization!

ThankYou

…toRachelBerchtold,fororganizingourMerchantsDaycookout,andtoallwhohelpedandallwhoattended!

…tothefollowingboardmemberswhohelpedtofreshenupthemuseumgroundsandplantflowers:LarryandFayeChildress,BarbaraWagenbach,FloydHazelman,ElmonKoch,JanisLee,RachelBerchtoldandRichSauder.Theydidagreatjob!

…toBarbaraWagenbach,forhostingtheMaymeetingandprovidingrefreshments.

OurSeptemberSpeakerandProgram

ChristalDagitisPresidentoftheTazewellCountyMuseuminPekin.Shewillsharesomeideasabouttheirmissionforthemuseum.Christalwilltalkaboutsomeoftheirprogramsandwhattopicsandspeakerswerewellattended.ShewillshareideasofhowhistoricalsocietiesintownsinTazewellCountycouldhavejointprograms,worktogether,andhavereciprocalexchanges.Additionally,shewilldiscusshowthecurrenteconomycouldaffectourfutureandhowwecanattractmoremembersandorattendeesatmeetings.

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TremontMuseumandHistoricalSocietyP.O.Box738Tremont,IL61568

PleaseJoinUs!WeLOVENewMembers!

Enclosedis$_____________formembershipintheTremontMuseumandHistoricalSocietyCheckone:___Individual$10.00___Family$15.00___Lifetime$150.00PerPerson

Name(Print)________________________________________________E-mail______________________________________________________Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City____________________________________________State__________Zip__________________Phone______________________________Interests:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____Thisisagiftmembershipfortheperson(s)abovefrom:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____Yes,IaminterestedininformationaboutCharitableRemainderTrusts

Pleasesendto:TremontMuseumandHistoricalSociety,P.O.Box738

Tremont,IL61568